1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of covers for furniture items and in particular, covers for furniture items used with babies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Feeding a baby is a messy process because the baby frequently refuses food fed to the baby so the food may spill out of the spoon and fall on a furniture item in which the baby is seated. The baby also frequently spits out or regurgitates the food so that it falls on the furniture item in which the baby is sitting or falls on the floor. Babies also typically like to play with their food and will throw it on the floor or on a furniture item. Most commonly, a parent tries to feed the baby when the baby is seated in a highchair. In an attempt to protect the highchair from the spilled food, a parent places a towel or cloth covering on the highchair or on various portions of the highchair including the seat and the back. The problem with such coverings is that they are not properly fastened to the highchair and as the baby moves around in the highchair, the cover either is moved to expose a portion of the highchair or falls off entirely.
Therefore, there is a significant need for an apparatus which can cover the highchair in an effective manner while a baby is being fed so that the cover remains on the highchair even when the baby is moving around in the highchair.
The present invention is a one-piece highchair cover made out of washable fabric material such as nylon and which is designed to fit over and be retained on a highchair by having side openings to accommodate the respective side arms and/or highchair tray of the highchair, additional openings to accommodate a fatening means such as a seatbelt to retain the baby on the seat cover and in the highchair, and a stretchable rear fastening means such as a strap to retain the back portion of the highchair cover on the highchair, all of which enables the highchair to be fully protected and covered while permitting the baby to aggressively move around in the highchair while being fed and insures that the highchair cover will remain in its position and not expose a portion of the highchair or fall off the highchair during the feeding process. The washable fabric material also enables the removable highchair cover to be easily removed from the highchair so that it can be washed for subsequent use.
The highchair cover comes in three sizesxe2x80x94small, medium and largexe2x80x94to accommodate different sizes of highchairs.
It has been discovered, according to the present invention, that if a highchair cover is designed with a pair of openings to permit the respective arms of the highchair to fit through the cover and is further designed with an additional group of openings to permit a seatbelt or other fastening means to fasten the highchair cover to the highchair, and/or fasten the baby to the highchair cover, then the highchair cover will remain on the highchair even while a baby is engaged in vigorous activity during the feeding process and the baby will remain in the highchair.
It has further been discovered, according to the present invention, that if a stretchable strap is designed into the rear portion of the highchair cover, the stretchable strap will enable the highchair cover to remain on the upper portion of the highchair and on the back of the highchair even while the baby is engaged in vigorous activity during the feeding process.
It has further been discovered, according the present invention, that if a stretchable elastic is sewn into the upper portion of the highchair cover, it will enable the highchair cover to be fit over the upper portion of the highchair and further remain in place so that the highchair cover will not fall off the upper portion of the highchair cover while the baby is aggressively moving in the highchair during the feeding process.
It has further been discovered, according to the present invention, that if the highchair cover is designed to be of sufficient size to cover an excessive portion of the seat portion and upper portion of the highchair cover as well as the arms of the highchair, it can accommodate any multiplicity of highchair cover shapes and sizes so that one size highchair cover can be used to cover any desired highchair presently on the market today.
It has further been discovered, according to the present invention, that if the highchair cover is made out of flexible washable synthetic material, preferably neoprene, nylon, polyester, etc., then the highchair cover can easily be sized to fit over any desired highchair and retained in the highchair as previously discussed while at the same time being easily removable from the highchair when the feeding process is completed so that the highchair cover can be washed to remove any food, urine or other substances that have soiled the highchair cover during the feeding process and can be easily replaced on the highchair for the next feeding of the baby.
It has further been discovered according to the present invention that with the highchair cover design as discussed above, the highchair cover will remain in place while the baby is being fed and will not fall off the highchair or expose any portion of the highchair to any food or any excrement or any other soiling which the baby may create during the feeding process.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a highchair cover which can be designed to fit over any size highchair or any shape highchair and protect the highchair during the process of feeding a baby.
It is a further object of the present invention to create a highchair cover which has appropriate openings so that the highchair cover can fit through the side arms of the highchair and also can be fastened to the highchair by fastening means such as a seatbelt and further retained on the highchair by a stretchable strap means so that the highchair cover will remain in place during the vigorous feeding process.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a washable and reusable highchair cover which can be easily removed from the highchair after the feeding process is completed, washed and thereafter returned to the highchair so that the highchair cover will once again remain in its operative position during the time the baby is being fed.
It is a further object of the present invention to create a highchair cover of sufficient size and styling so that it can fit over any desired highchair on the market today and be retained in place during the vigorous feeding process.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a highchair cover which will protect the highchair and the surrounding area during the feeding process so that any food which is either spilled by the baby or regurgitated or spit out by the baby or thrown out by the baby will land on the highchair cover and not on the highchair.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a removable and reusable highchair cover which is made of material which permits the highchair cover to be easily washed and cleaned so that it can be used numerous times and will not fade or shrink during the washing and cleaning process.
It is another object of the present invention to make the highchair cover out of a decorative and attractive color so that the highchair cover will also serve to be an attractive visual stimulus for the baby to induce the baby to eat during the feeding process.
It is also an object of the present invention to create a highchair cover which is made of synthetic polyester material or other reusable washable material which can be easily cleaned and will not fade in color and will not shrink during the numerous washing processes after each feeding.
Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the drawings.